Online information sessions: 24 June

This certificate provides an ideal learning environment for legal
professionals, policy makers and professionals in both the public and private sectors to develop skills and knowledge in relation to legal matters which impact on their work. It also offers a flexible route to further postgraduate study as successful students can choose to transfer credits gained to one of our LLM programmes.

The programme enables you to engage with a range of subject areas within the discipline, which may include: commercial law; information technology law; intellectual property law; and medical law.

Our online learning programmes are delivered entirely online via a virtual learning environment. Learning and teaching happen ‘asynchronously’. This means that you have the flexibility to log in at times and in places convenient to you, contribute your views and respond to others, and still maintain a sense of community with your fellow students across time zones.

You must complete three masters-level courses to be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Law.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will have the option
of graduating with the certificate or continuing your studies through
a facilitated transfer onto one of the Edinburgh Law School’s LLM
programmes by online learning.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will have the option of graduating with the Certificate or continuing your studies through a facilitated transfer onto one of the Edinburgh Law School’s LLM programmes by online distance learning.

Graduates of our online distance learning
programmes progress to a range of careers in Law and related legal fields, including work in local and international firms, government legal departments, other public institutions, international organisations and in academia.

International qualifications

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

For 2020 entry we accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified*:

IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 6.5 in each module)

TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 23 in each module)

PTE Academic: total 67 (at least 61 in each of the "Communicative Skills" sections)

CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 176 in each module)

Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components

For 2021 entry we will accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified*:

IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 7.0 in the writing component and 6.5 in each other module)

TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 25 in writing and 23 in each other module)

CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 185 in writing and 176 in each other module)

Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components

*(Revised 21 February 2020 to remove PTE Academic from 2021 entry requirements. Revised 21 April 2020 to include TOEFL-iBT Special Home Edition in 2020 and 2021 entry requirements.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

Tuition fee deposit

If you receive an unconditional offer of admission, you will be asked to pay a deposit of £500 within 28 days or by the start of the orientation period, whichever is sooner, to secure your place on the programme.

PgCert Law (Online Learning) - 1 Year (Full-time)

PgCert Law (Online Learning) - 20 Months (Part-time)

We monitor application numbers carefully to ensure we are able to accommodate all those who receive offers. It may therefore be necessary to close a programme earlier than the published deadlines. If this is the case we will place a four week warning notice on this page.

The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number
SC005336, VAT Registration Number GB 592 9507 00, and is acknowledged by the UK authorities as a
“Recognised body” which has been
granted degree awarding powers.